Another case, this time in Houston. The grand jury is out and a decision is expected anytime now.
Jordan Baker, who was 26 years old, was shot and killed by HPD officer Juventino Castro on Jan. 16. He was shot in a northwest Houston strip center where a string of robberies had been reported.
HPD initially claimed Castro thought Baker was a robbery suspect and shot him when he charged the officer.
“My son was shot and killed for being in a place that he had every right to be in,” his mother, Janet Baker, said.
Protesters voiced their opinions about the local case which is similar to others happening across the country. The Houston Coalition for Justice says they see the writing on the wall.
“The pattern, there’s been 288 cases where there has not been an indictment of a police officer,” said Durrel Douglas,Houston Coalition for Justice.
Protesters said they would only be satisfied if there is a trial for Baker’s death. Even then, they said they will continue to protest the system.
Three people were killed in execution style shooting and two critically wounded after gunfire erupted inside a suburban Houston apartment Wednesday afternoon.
The shooting happened about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Sunbury Downs Apartments in an unincorporated area 25 miles northwest of downtown Houston.
A young man and two young women died after each was shot multiple times, including the head, and another man and woman were airlifted to Memorial Hermann-Texas Trauma Institute in Houston with similar gunshot wounds, said Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia.
Both were in critical condition, and detectives were at the hospital awaiting a chance to interview the two, he said.
He said the victims were in their late teens to early 20s and that their names would not be released until their families could be notified.
‘It’s a waste of human life that we’re talking tonight once again about young people who will not get to fulfill the promise that they were born with,’ Garcia said according to ABC 13.
‘This scene is still very fresh and as we have more progress and perspective on the scene, we will be sharing that with you,’ Garcia said.
Deputies have no description of the gunman. Witnesses say a man shot the victims inside the one-bedroom downstairs apartment, closed the apartment door and fled, Garcia said.
All of those shot were seated when the gunfire started, he said. There were no signs of forced entry or struggle.
HOUSTON (KTRK) — Two people were killed and more than a dozen were injured when gunfire rang out at a house party in the Cypress area of northwest Harris County last night, and officials say two suspects remain at large.
It happened on Enchanted Creek near FM 529 sometime between 11pm and midnight
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says 18 people were shot. Two of those people — a man and a woman, officials tell us — are dead. One was killed at the scene and the other died after being transported to Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital.
In all, 22 people were injured. That leaves six people who were not confirmed as shot. They may have been hurt while trying to escape, authorities said
We’re told two of the 22 victims are in critical condition, and the conditions of the others vary. A total of four people were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital and three people treated at Ben Taub. Eight to nine people were taken to Methodist West Hospital.
According to HCSO, close to 100 people were inside the home when the shooting happened. As the gunfire erupted, they fled the home in a panicked rush to escape.
The NBA free agency period has only been open for two days now and while no serious star has moved yet, there is plenty of word of the stars realigning very soon. A report coming from Sam Amick of USA Today says that if Dwight Howard were to sign with the Houston Rockets, the team would then pursue adding Atlanta Hawks free agent Josh Smith as well.
The Houston Rockets want their own “Big 3” now
Let’s keep this paragraph based all upon “If ‘s“. If Dwight Howard were to sign with the Houston Rockets, he would be locked down for four years and earn around $88 million dollars. This in turn would create a very dynamic duo of up and coming superstar James Harden and All Star Dwight Howard. If that wasn’t enough, let’s say they land Josh Smith via a sign and trade, that’s the only way Smith can come over due to Houston’s financial situation. If this happens their starting line up would be James Harden, Patrick Beverley (Jeremy Lin will start if he’s not traded), Chandler Parsons, Josh Smith, and Dwight Howard; that right there is a line up you wouldn’t want to mess with. Or is it…?
Josh Smith loves to have the ball
Josh Smith loves his touches, loves to rack up a nice score sheet, and loves to shoot. James Harden loves to control the ball, loves to rack up a nice score card, and loves to shoot. Dwight Howard loves his touches, loves being the “go to guy”, and loves to be the number 1 option. See the problem yet? There aren’t enough basketballs in all of the NBA to satisfy all their selfish desires to be the number 1 guy. On top of their needs for more balls comes their immediate lack of depth at every position. Houston has already sent Carlos Delfino and Aaron Brooks packing and currently are offering Jeremy Lin and Omar Asik to any team for something in return. Why would Houston want to stack a heavy starting unit like that and leave a depleted bench, haven’t the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers taught you anything?
Houston has it’s leader in James Harden. Why complicate it?
I am no Houston Rockets fan by any means but this idea of a Big 3 constructed with Dwight Howard, James Harden, and Josh Smith sounds horrible. Sure their talent level will be off the charts but I just cannot see them all meshing together. On top of that Houston shouldn’t rely on their starting core so heavily, we’ve seen that fail countless times before. If I were a Rockets fan, I’d be hoping Josh Smith takes his talents to Detroit rather than Houston.
I will just like to put this out there now, I’m a big Lakers fan so pardon me if this article has any bias based opinions.
Back in August of last year the Dwight Howard to LA trade went down and my beloved Lakers went to the top of the charts and instant favorites to be serious contenders for our next NBA Championship. Our front court had the most dominant center in the league in Dwight Howard, the best passing big man in Pau Gasol; add to that one of the greatest shooters in NBA history in Steve Nash and one of the best to ever play the game in Kobe Bryant. Fast forward to April of this year and we are swept right out of the playoffs, the ones we just barely crept into, by the San Antonio Spurs. Now Laker Nation awaits July 1st when our next “franchise superstar” in Dwight Howard marches his way into free agency. After watching him this season, I say let him go.
How Laker Nation last saw Dwight during game 4 against the Spurs
This years free agency class is highlighted by Dwight Howard (seeing that Chris Paul will most likely stay with the Clippers) and the teams measuring their interest in the big man revolve around Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas. Only the Lakers though can offer him their franchise max contract of five years with $118 million dollars along with their history of storied big men and the tradition of winning no matter what. Houston can offer four years with $98 million dollars and their young up and coming star in James Harden. Dallas can offer Dwight the same as Houston. From a money point of view the Lakers are the clear-cut winners and from a historical point of view the Lakers also are clear winners; from a pure basketball point of view though Houston are clear winners as they only need a man like Dwight to contend in the West.
Dwight Howard received a lot of punishment from the media for leaving Orlando the way he did, is that bound to repeat?
Statistically Dwight Howard has been declining over, especially over the past season. Between 2008-2011 Dwight took his Magic team to one Final appearance and a 219-102 record; over the past two seasons with the Magic and Lakers he’s finished with a total 75-55 record. Wow. His offensive production has also dipped sharply; in 2011 he averaged 22.9 PPG, 14.1 RPG, and a 59% FG. In 2013 he was averaging 17.1 PPG, 12.4 RPG, while shooting %58 from the field. Dwight has clearly past his peak production and no team should commit such a large amount of their salary cap or build their team around a star who has already started dropping off. Of course..the Lakers are run by Jim Buss so that’s still possible.
Looking past the numbers it isn’t hard to see that Dwight just cannot handle the pressure of playing in L.A. Playing for the Lakers, especially to be the next franchise player, means you must live up to some huge names and live up to the Laker tradition of winning. The Lakers, since 1960, have sent 25 teams to the NBA Finals, won 11 championships, and have had our court graced by the likes of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O’Neal. To top that all off the L.A Lakers have had four of the ten best basketball teams ever (’72, ’82, ’87, ’01), have been run by one of the greatest owners in history by Jerry Buss, and have been coached by the future Hall of Famer in Phil Jackson. If all that wasn’t hard enough to live up to as the next franchise player in Los Angeles, Dwight Howard would be filling the void of the greatest Laker of all time in Kobe Bryant. It’s sad to say that faced with any type of pressure a man like Dwight Howard who stands six foot and eleven inches shrinks back to a normal height.
Perhaps the self-proclaimed “Superman” isn’t so “super” anymore
No matter what the media is saying about the pending free agency of Dwight Howard and no matter what team does land the big man, it will be a question if the team wants to roll the dice on Howard or chooses to pass. Houston is the clear basketball choice for Howard as that team is young and ready to make an even bigger splash next season than they did this past season. A James Harden – Dwight Howard combo would be a mighty force to reckon with no matter who they face. As for my beloved Lakers please Jim Buss do not even approach the table and pick up the dice.
Just a little over a month after an assassination attempt, where she was shot in the head, doctors at the TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston say congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is recovering and her hard work at rehabilitation is “clearly paying off.”
“She is speaking more and more with each passing day, most recently asking for toast,” said spokesman C.J. Karamargin. “They are working with her on all kinds of language and speech exercises.”
Giffords — known to friends and relatives as “Gabby” — is eating three meals a day, her husband said.
“Gabby’s appetite is back and — even though it’s hospital food — she’s enjoying three meals a day,” NASA astronaut Mark Kelly said in a Facebook posting on Tuesday.
Kelly, a three-time space shuttle veteran, will command the shuttle Endeavour when it launches in April, NASA said last week.
“The doctors say she is recovering at lightning speed considering her injury, but they aren’t kidding when they say this is a marathon process,” Kelly said.
Doctors say Giffords’ full recovery could take months.
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